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Solutions 5: Semiconductor Nanostructures Thomas Ihn Fall 2017

This document discusses semiconductor heterostructures and provides equations to calculate depletion widths (dn and dp) in a charge-neutral semiconductor device in thermodynamic equilibrium. It defines two conditions that must be fulfilled: 1) the device must be charge-neutral, and 2) the electrochemical potential must be constant. It gives equations relating the Fermi energies to doping densities and depletion widths to doping densities, band gaps, and material parameters. The qualitative I-V curve is shown to be similar to a Schottky diode with breakdown at negative bias due to inter-band tunneling and exponential increase in forward direction.

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49 views

Solutions 5: Semiconductor Nanostructures Thomas Ihn Fall 2017

This document discusses semiconductor heterostructures and provides equations to calculate depletion widths (dn and dp) in a charge-neutral semiconductor device in thermodynamic equilibrium. It defines two conditions that must be fulfilled: 1) the device must be charge-neutral, and 2) the electrochemical potential must be constant. It gives equations relating the Fermi energies to doping densities and depletion widths to doping densities, band gaps, and material parameters. The qualitative I-V curve is shown to be similar to a Schottky diode with breakdown at negative bias due to inter-band tunneling and exponential increase in forward direction.

Uploaded by

Apu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Thomas Ihn

Semiconductor Nanostructures
Fall 2017

Solutions 5 released: 18.10.2016


Topics: MBE, heterostructures discussed: 25.10.2016

Problem 1: Semiconductor heterostructures

Figure 1: Band alignment and charge density distribution (idealized).

Assuming that the device is in thermodynamic equilibrium at sufficiently high tem-


perature such that all donor/acceptor atoms are ionized, the following two conditions
need to be fulfilled:

1. The whole device needs to be charge-neutral, i.e.,

ND dn = NA dp , (1)
and

2. the electrochemical potential is constant over the whole device (thermodynamic


equilibrium), i.e.,

−EAlGaAs
F − EAlGaAs
bg + ∆φn + ∆EV + ∆φp − EGaAs
F =0 (2)

Assuming three-dimensional parabolic dispersion relations for conduction and va-


lence bands, the Fermi energies are given by

? !3/2
1 2mAlGaAs 3/2
ND = 2 2
EAlGaAs
F (3)
3π ~
? !3/2
1 2mGaAs 3/2
NA = 2 2
EGaAs
F (4)
3π ~

Using Poissons equation you can express the potential energy difference ∆φn and ∆φp
felt by electrons (note that this is −e times the electrostatic potential) in terms of the
doping densities ND and NA , and the respective depletion widths dn and dp :

∂2 φ e2 ND 1 e2 ND 2 1 e2 ND 2
= ⇒ φ(z) = z ⇒ ∆φn = d (5)
∂z2 0 2 0 2 0 n

1 e2 NA 2
∆φp = d (6)
2 0 p
Equations (1)–(6) allow you to express the depletion lengths dn and dp via the doping
concentrations NA and ND , the given energy scales, such as band gap EAlGaAsbg
and
valence band offset ∆EV , and the material parameters  and m?AlGaAs and m?GaAs . The
result is
1/2
 20 NA EAlGaAs + EGaAs + EAlGaAs − ∆EV 

F F bg
dn =  2 
e ND ND + NA

1/2
 20 ND EAlGaAs + EGaAs + EAlGaAs − ∆EV 

F F bg
dp =  2 
e NA ND + NA


The I(V) curve is shown qualitatively in figure 2 and is similar to that of a Shottky-
diode. The break-down with negative bias is attributed to inter-band tunneling. In
forward direction, an exponential increase of the current is expected.

Figure 2: I(V) characteristic

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